By Jayden Mark
Understanding the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) International standards is essential as each work environment may require a specific safety boot style. Additionally, different work environments require work boots designed to work safely in those particular workplace hazards.
Safety boot certification must pass the ASTM F2413 safety standard. There are different standards for different workplace environments, including steel-toed boots, boots made for electrical environments, and many other specific work environment safety requirements.
The following is a more in-depth look at different safety boot requirements.
ASTM Safety Work Boot Symbols and Standards
Safety boots have certain symbols or identifications for their rating for specific work environments. For example, in workplace environments where rogue electrical currents can flow, select a safety boot containing a code with a white square with an orange Omega symbol, indicating the boot sole is insulated from flowing electrical current to the body.
Some safety boot identification codes:
Orange Omega Symbol
If working in an environment where flowing electrical currents are always possible, make sure your safety boots are well insulated from the sole to prevent electrical shock. This symbol indicates superior insulation in the sole for halting electrical current flow in workplaces where live electrical conductors are present and the possibility of an electrical shock.
Green Triangle Symbol with R
Safety boots with the green triangle indicate a Grade 1 steel tow cap and puncture-resistant soles in heavy industrial work environments. This safety boot is for work environments that may have severe and sharp steel objects like nails.
Yellow Triangle Symbol
These safety work boots are for lighter industrial environments with a more lightweight, Grade 2 steel toe cap. In addition, the soles have puncture resistance and provide graded protection for light industrial workplaces.
Blue rectangle symbol
Safety boots with the blue rectangle symbol indicate they are for environments where work boot puncture is not a real threat. They are manufactured with a Grade 1 steel toe cap but do not have any protection for punctures in the sole.
Blue Rectangle Symbol With R
Safety boots with the blue rectangle symbol indicate they are for environments where work boot puncture is not a real threat. They are manufactured with a Grade 1 steel toe cap but do not have any protection for punctures in the sole.
Grey Rectangle Symbol With R
The safety work boots with a gray rectangle indicate Grade 2 steel toe cap protection when working in light industrial environments. They also are not constructed with any additional puncture protection beyond what standard work boot soles provide.
Yellow Rectangle with SD and R
In industrial work environments where there may be live electrical conductors, safety work boots with this symbol indicate additional electrical protection. These work boots protect from environmental safety hazards such as dangerous static discharges affecting either equipment or workers.
Yellow Rectangle with SD+R
Safety work boots made with Grade 2 steel toe caps are super-static dissipative work boots for highly static discharge environments. In addition, they have sole puncture protection in industrial settings where there may be sharp metal objects present and static discharge hazards.
Red Rectangle with White C
In work environments with low-power electrical charges present, the safety work boots with a red rectangle with a white C means the boots are electrically conductive. This footwear should not be used where contact with live electrical conductors can occur.
Dark Gray Rectangle with M
Safety work boots with this symbol have protection for metatarsal area of the foot in industrial work sites where heavy objects can hurt the metatarsal region of the foot. This protection is for all footwear designed to protect the metatarsal regions of the foot.
White Rectangle with Green Fir Tree
Safety work boots protect the forestry industry and other timber workers with hand-held chainsaws and similar cutting tools. Workers should wear work boots with a white rectangle with a tree in wood-cutting environments to protect against cutting accidents.
Understand the Safety Work Boot Standards
Combining acronyms and numbers can be confusing, and their meaning can be lost or ignored. This confusion is unfortunate but understandable, as they do represent ratings that, if followed, may save a foot or even a life. For example, the safety work boot ratings were assigned based on performance criteria by ANSI (American National Standards Institute). These ratings, ANSI Z41-1999 and Z41-1991, were in effect until 2005, when the two standards were combined and created the current ASTM F2413 standard.
Recognizing the importance of creating new acronyms, ASTM established two standards for footwear protection. These standards are:
ASTM F2413-05 standards include:
Maximum static discharge resistance of 108 Ohms Chain saw cut resistance (CS) ratings.
Additional dielectric insulation (DI) for protection in electrical environments
ASTM F2413-11 standards include:
EH (Electrical Hazard Resistance) resistance up to 18,000 volts at 60 Hz for 60 seconds in dry working conditions if there is not any electrical current flow or leakage above 1 milliampere. Protection from accidental compressions or impacts from work mishaps affecting the feet.
ANSI Standards and Codes
Although the current ASTM standards replaced the older ANSI standards, some manufacturers may still code their safety work boots with ANSI codes. Therefore, understanding what these standards and acronyms represent can be essential. The available ANSI codes are:
Compression resistance ratings (C)
The ratings can be either 75, 50, or 30 and mean:
Compression resistance up to 2,500-pound objects (C/75)Compression resistance up to 1,750-pound objects (C/50)Compression resistance up to 1,000-pound objects (C/30)
Impact resistance ratings (I)
The ratings can be either 75, 50, or 30 and mean:
Impact resistance from a 75-pound object dropped a distance of 18 inches (I/75)
Impact resistance from a 50-pound object dropped a distance of 18 inches (I/50)
Impact resistance from a 30-pound object dropped a distance of 18 inches (I/30)
Metatarsal Resistance (MT)
Similar to impact resistance protection, this safety boot rating is for protecting the mid-foot bones and protecting the entirety of the foot. Additionally, this protection is for metatarsal bones of the foot in case of an injury.
Impact resistance from a 75-pound object dropped a distance of 18 inches (I/75)
Impact resistance from a 50-pound object dropped a distance of 18 inches (I/50)
Impact resistance from a 30-pound object dropped a distance of 18 inches (I/30)
Electric Hazard Resistance (EH)
Safety work boots with an EH rating indicate boot construction to prevent conducting electrical current along with some shock-resistance protection. These specially designed boots protect from electrical currents up to 14,000 volts at 60 Herz for 60 seconds, assuming the environment is dry, and there is no current leakage beyond 3 milliamperes.
Conductive Resistance (Cd)
The Cd rating means a safety work boot protects against static electricity up to 500,000 Ohms. In addition, they provide basic electrical conductivity insulation beyond traditional composite toe boots.
Puncture Resistance (PR)
A work boot with the PR rating means it provides resistance to objects that can puncture the work boot with up to 270 pounds of force. This boot style is for work environments where many sharp objects, or nails, may be present on the floor.
ASTM Standards and Codes
The ANSI standard is superseded by the improved ASTM standard that carries forward many ANSI codes with more current codes and modifications. There are several ASTM standards and codes. These are the most prevalent:
ASTM F2413-05
The new standards only include the I/75, I/50, C/75, and C/50 codes.
All safety work boots for static dissipative resistant environments shall have a max resistance of 108 Ohms.
Extra DI (Dielectric Insulation) protection for safety work boots in electrical environments.
Protection for the lower legs and toes with the new CS rating for chainsaw protection from accidental cuts.
ASTM F2413-11
Protection for ratings I/75, C/75. and MT/75
Boots protect up to 18,000 volts at 60 Hz for 60 seconds in dry conditions without current or flow leaking over 1 milliampere.
This code provides increased protection from impacts, compression, and other hazards encountered in workplace environments.
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